Monthly Archives: October 2011

Arts & Humanities Month: Quapaw Quarter Association Preservation Conversations

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The Quapaw Quarter Association launched a new monthly education series this year entitled “Preservation Conversations.” They take place the third Monday of each month at historic Curran Hall, which serves as the QQA headquarters in addition to being the Mayor’s Official Reception Hall.

Tonight is the October conversation – “Weatherization Tips for Your Old House.” It will be presented by energy expert Andrea Ingalsbe.

Beginning at 5:00, Curran Hall will be open for patrons to enjoy a glass of wine, programs start at 5:30 p.m. and last for one hour.  After the official program concludes, all are invited to keep the conversation going and enjoy a discounted dinner at nearby Copper Grill, 300 East Third Street.

The Quapaw Quarter Association is a non-profit historic preservation advocacy organization whose mission is to promote the preservation of the historic buildings and neighborhoods of Greater Little Rock. Rhea Roberts is the Executive Director.

Arts & Humanities Month: Sunday Afternoon Music Little Rock Wind Symphony; Arkansas Chamber Singers

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Little Rock audiences have two options for Sunday afternoon music today. The Little Rock Wind Symphony presents its first concert of this, its 19th season at 3pm at Little Rock’s Second Presbyterian Church.  Under the direction of Dr. Karen Fannin, music director since 2006, the program is entitled Warhorses for Winds.  The featured soloist will be Andy Wen on Alto Saxophone.  His appearance is underwritten by Fran and Dr. Al Nelson.

A highlight will be the world premiere of a new composition commissioned by the Little Rock Wind Symphony – Karen Griebling’s “Moduli Mundi” (“Tunes of the Cosmos”).

The program also consists of:

  • Samuel Barber: “Commando March”
  • Camille De Nardis: “The Universal Judgment”
  • Gustav Holst: “Second Suite in F”
  • Percy Grainger / Sousa: “Country Gardens”
  • Gustav Holst: “Mars”

Also at 3pm, the Arkansas Chamber Singers will be presenting their first concert of the season. Their performance will be in the Great Hall at the Clinton Presidential Center.  (They actually presented this concert as well this past Friday evening at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.)  Since 1979, the Arkansas Chamber Singers have been presenting a variety of classic and contemporary vocal works.

This season has the theme: “Masters in the Hall.”  The first concert is appropriately titled “Masters in Hall, Masters in the Fall.”  Under the direction of artistic director and conductor Dr. John Erwin, the singers will perform works by the Baroque composer Claudio Monteverdi.  The singers will also perform selections by Brahms and Schubert.  To conclude the program, they will present “Five Hebrew Love Songs” by Eric Whitacre. Joining the singers in this concert will be cellist Stephen Feldman and violinist Israel Getzov.

Arts & Humanities Month: Sculpture at the River Market

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For the fifth year, the River Market Pavilions and surrounding area will be filled with hundreds of sculptures and thousands of people as the annual Sculpture at the River Market returns from October 14 through 16.

Several of the pieces purchased at previous shows are now on display throughout Little Rock including in Riverfront Park’s Vogel Schwartz Sulpture Garden.

The sculptures featured will include all types of media, style, subject matter, and size.  Among the artists participating are Michael Warrick, Kathleen Caricof, Tim Cherry, Denny Haskew, Shelley Buonaiuto, Dale Roark, Margaret Warren, Carolyn Barlock, Rollin Karg, Ed Pennebaker, Don Rambadt, Ron Chapel, Charles White, Jane Dedecker, Seth Vandable, Ted Schaal, Merrilee Cleveland, Timothy Nimmo, Clay Enoch, Mark Leichliter, James Vilona, Darrell Davis, Susie Chisholm, Daivd Nunneley, C.T. Whitehouse, Belgin Yucelen, Dee Clements, Terry Bean, Merlel Randolph, Karla Runquist, James Paulsen, Peter Rujuwa, Bryan Massey Sr., William Kolok, John Sewell, Ken Newman, Kim Shaklee, Gene Sparling, Alex Brown, Connie Hendrix, Pati Stajcar, Jim Goshorn, Julie McCraney-Brogdon, and Kevin Robb.

Admission to Sculpture at the River Market is free. Sculpture at the Market will run from 9AM to 5PM on Saturday, October 15 and from 10AM to 4PM on Sunday, October 16.

The sale and show is sponsored by the City of Little Rock and the National Sculptors’ Guild. Proceeds from the sale of artwork will fund upgrades in Riverfront Park and the River Market.

Arts & Humanities Month: 2nd Friday Art Night

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As proof of how fast time passes, it is again the second Friday of the month which means “2nd Friday Art Night.”

Started in 2005, this downtown art gallery walk in the River Market District vicinity showcases a variety of museums and galleries.  In addition to viewing art, there are refreshments and usually live music at the various stops along the way.  There is also a free art shuttle to take visitors from location to location. The event runs from 5pm to 8pm.

Among the various participating sites are Historic Arkansas Museum, Arkansas Studies Institute, Christ Episcopal Church, Hearne Fine Art, Mediums Art Lounge, Copper Grill, Dizzy’s Gypsy Bistro, Lulav and Third Street merchants of the River Market District.

Arts & Humanities Month: PIPPIN at The Weekend Theatre

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The Weekend Theatre’s production of Pippin continues this weekend and runs through October 23 (which is the 39th anniversary of the show’s official opening on Broadway).  Shows start at 7:30 on Friday and Saturday nights and 2:30 on Sunday afternoons.

Tonight, (October 13), there is a special “Magic to Do” performance.  Doors open at 6:15 p.m., with food and a chance to mingle with the cast, followed by a magic show at 7 p.m. featuring David Weatherly, assisted by other cast members. The performance of “Pippin” begins at 7:30 p.m.

Pippin is a fanciful musical by Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz. It tells the tale of a young man searching for his place in the world and his corner of the sky.  The cast is led by Malcolm Glover, Craig Wilson, Julie Atkins, Byron Taylor, Charlie Askew, Evan Tanner, Pamela Crane and Patti German.  John C. Thompson directed the production, which was first directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse.

Arts & Humanities Month: Arkansas Repertory Theatre presents The Second City

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The Arkansas Repertory Theatre brings The Second City troupe back to the Rock for another rollicking visit.  To kick things off, The Rep’s popular “Brew-Ha-Ha” event is tonight at 6pm.  Tickets are $30 and include beer, pizza and the performance. The event is sponsored by Sync Weekly.

The Second City plays Wednesdays through Sundays from October 12 (tonite) through October 23 on stage at the Rep.  On Friday, October 14 and October 21, they’ll be joined on stage for a portion of the evening by Little Rock’s own Improv Little Rock. 

In conjunction with the Rep’s production by The Second City, 10Horse Johnson will appear at Argenta Community Theatre for four performances from October 20 – 22.  

Later this month, the Rep’s Young Artists take the stage with That ’80s Showfrom October 25 through November 5. This production will be on stage at Wildwood Park for the Arts. 

Favorite 1980s songs are pulled together in a lively revue by performers from The Rep’s Summer Musical Theatre Intensive or SMTI (pronounced Smitty). Nicole Capri is the conceiver and director of the production while Karen Q. Clark is musical director.

Arts & Humanities Month: Mount Holly Cemetery – “Tales of the Crypt” by Parkview Arts Magnet High School

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The 17th Annual Tales of the Crypt takes place at historic Mount Holly Cemetery tonight from 5:30pm to 8:30pm.  As they have for the past sixteen years, students from Little Rock Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High School will portray the lives of few of the residents at the Mount Holly Cemetery.

Under the direction of Fred Boosey and Tamara Zinck, students have researched the life and times of the selected characters they are portraying and have written original scripts.  The actors are costumed in period clothes by Debi Manire. Among the fifteen grave sites which are stops along the way this year is David O. Dodd, boy martyr of the Confederacy.  He will be portrayed by a distant relative Walter Dodd, who is a senior at Parkview.

Mount Holly Cemetery is the final resting place of the famous, infamous and many ordinary Arkansans.  Eleven Arkansas governors, thirteen state Supreme Court Justices, four United States senators, twenty-one Little Rock mayors and two Pulitzer Prize winners are all residents of Mount Holly.  The land for the cemetery was deeded in February 1843 by Chester Ashley and Roswell Beebe.  Since 1915, the Mount Holly Cemetery Association has been the administrative organization for the cemetery.  In 1970, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, one of the first cemeteries to receive this designation.

Parkview Arts & Science Magnet High School opened in 1968. In 1987 it received magnet school designation focusing on arts and sciences.  Within the fine arts program, students select an area of emphasis in dance, drama, instrumental music, vocal music or visual arts.